FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday 27 April 2009

Otago Careers Festival Starts This Week

The inaugural Otago Careers Festival begins this week, with a plethora of events happening throughout the month of May. The Festival will be launched at an event, at which Mayor Peter Chin will be speaking, on Wednesday, April 29.

Now is the time to be thinking seriously about your career. Unemployment in New Zealand has hit a seven-year high, with a current unemployment rate of 4.7%. Last week the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, said the global economic recession will be the deepest since World War Two and will still be hitting New Zealand hard next year.

“There are still longs months of economic distress in front of us,”Strauss-Kahn said.

But it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. Many of the events and services on offer throughout the Otago Careers Festival are designed to help individuals plan a successful career path, return to the workforce or start their own business. Seminars, talks, exhibitions, courses and expos are all scheduled during the Festival and will provide helpful advice and information to get you on the road to success.

Full List of Events:

- Otago Polytechnic Open Day, May 4, 9am-4pm at the Otago Polytechnic.

- Career Decisions for Uncertain Times – talk by Dr Heather Carpenter, author and one of New Zealand’s leading Career Practitioners. May 19, 10am-12pm, Mosgiel Learning Centre, 116 Gordon Road, Mosgiel. May 21, 10am-12pm, Union Street Learning Centre, Union Street East.

- Be Your Own Boss course, May 4-15, 9am-4pm. Otago Chamber of Commerce, Burns House, 10 George Street, Dunedin.

- Dive Otago Careers Open Day, May 15, 2pm, Dive Otago Ltd, 2 Wharf Street, Dunedin.

- Coca-Cola Careers Expo, May 17-19, Edgar Centre, Dunedin.

- Otago Corrections Facility Custodial Staff Recruitment Seminars,

- Career Options and Information Exhibit, May 1-31, Monday to Friday 8:30am-5pm, Otago Chamber of Commerce, Burns House, 10 George Street, Dunedin.

- Behind the Doors – guided tours of the Otago Polytechnic, May 11 and 14, 10:30am, 12:15pm, 2:30pm or 4pm. Meet at the Learning Centre on Forth Street.

- Explore Your Career Potential – free guidance for career choices and an assessment of prior learning, between 10am-3pm. May 12 and May 20, Mosgiel Learning Centre, 116 Gordon Road. May 13 and May 21, Princes Street Learning Centre, Cnr Princes Street and Moray Place. May 22, South Dunedin Learning Centre, Cnr King Edward Street and Hillside Road.

- Careers in Local Government – exhibit at the Dunedin Public Library, LearnIT Centre. May 11-21, Monday-Friday 9:30am-8pm, Saturday and Sunday, 11am-4pm.

- Pact Open Day, 80 Filleul Street, May 11, 11am or 3pm. Pact is a not for profit organisation that supports people with intellectual disabilities and people recovering from mental illness in Otago, Southland and West Coast.

- Career Services Open Day, May 12, 10:30am-6:30pm, Career Services, 7th Floor, Evan Parry House, 43 Princes Street, Dunedin.

- Sir George Seymour National College of Tourism and Travel Tertiary Open Day, May 4.

- CadetMax orientation programme, May 4-15, 9am-3pm, Otago Chamber of Commerce, Burns House, 10 George Street, Dunedin.

- Pathways and Possibilities – a career exploration workshop for teenagers and their parents/caregivers, May 7, 7pm-9pm,

- Inspire Me Showcase, careers display at the Dunedin City Library, May 11-17.

- University of Otago Careers Fair, May 12, 11am-3pm, The Link, IS Building, University of Otago, Dunedin.

- An Inside Look into Medical Imaging, May 12 and May 18, 7pm, Clinical Conference Room, Radiology Department, 1st Floor, Dunedin Hospital.

- Open for Business, May 13, 12:30pm, guided tour through Dunedin Public Library’s career resources.

- Careers in the Arts, talk by Antony Deaker from the Artist Development Agency, May 17, 1pm-3pm, Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

- I’ve lost my job –now what? Talk by three inspirational speakers, May 20, 7:30pm, Clifford Skeggs Gallery, 1st Floor, Municipal Chambers, Clock Tower Building, The Octagon.

- Career help for clients of social service providers, seminar, May 21, 10am-12pm, Clifford Skeggs Gallery, 1st Floor, Municipal Chambers, Clock Tower Building, The Octagon.

- Dressing for Success, May 21, 5:30pm, Shop on Carroll, 10 Carroll Street, Dunedin.

- The Work’n it Out Breakfast, for guidance counsellors, careers advisors and local youth workers, May 26, 8am-9:30am, Dunedin Community College, 23 Dowling Street, Dunedin.

- Young Enterprise Scheme Oral Presentations, May 26, 12:30pm-4pm, Glenroy Auditorium, Dunedin Town Hall.

- Career Services Website and Resources Presentation, May 28, Dunedin Community College, 23 Dowling Street, Dunedin.

For more information or to attend the Festival launch on April 29, please contact Victoria Bunton, Festival Co-ordinator, Sequel Events

(Contact Details Removed)

ENDS

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